Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-19
DEPRAVITY AND WANT.

Dissipation. Filth. Vice, Rags and
Hunger, all In a ~maIi Room In
Davenport---Chiid starved Thai
Their Parents May Drink---The
Mother a Henry County Woman.
Davenport presents an illustration OF
the dark and filthy and deprayed side OF
life, such as only Chas. Dickens could
fiIly describe, and properly bring into
the minds of the reader realization of.
The family's name is Cooley, and they
live in an old tumbled down shanty on
Front street. between Brady and Main,
and the household, if such it may be
called, consists of Cooley, his wife and
two children, aged six and four years.
| Both father and mother drink hard,
spending all of The money they get for
liquor and the greater part of the time
lying under its influences in the hovel
which they call home.
Their mode of living was first brought
into public notice by the arrest of Cooley
| yesterday for intoxication.
The Democrats Gazette says the visit of
the officer revealed terrible condition of
affairs. The room is reached by stair
way running up outside of the house
| from the back yard. Access was to be
had only through piles of rubbish and
dirt When the room was reached the
first impression was conveyed through
the nostrils. A stencil that was simply
| awful caused one to wonder that human
| beings could inhsbit such vicinity. 1t
was enough to unnerve the strongest
man, and the officers found it impossible
| to long breathe the obnoxious atmos>
phere that was sickening to the senses
Entrance into the room was revelation
of abject poverty. The furniture con-
sisted of one bedstead, entirely without
mattresses or quilts of any kind. two or
three old wooden chairs of the cheapest
make, and an old stove without fire or
coal to make one. The Democrat Gazette
| goes on to describe the scene:
The whole family occupied the one
room. The father drunk and ragged, a
man of middle age shaggy and of for
bidding aspect from long debauchery
and personal neglect, was storming
about, while the mother. little the bet
ter in sobriety, lay on the carpetless
| floor with a pillow under her head and
an old shawl thrown over her,
asleep. The children crouched in
one corner. thin, colorless. ragged and
fearful, neglected as to food, clothing,
moral and physical cleanliness, and edu-
| cation. except in vileness. Hunger. miss
cry and pain were their daily lot One
had been so neglected that ali injury to
two fingers remained unhealed from the
want of q little care, and fairly rotted
away, presenting CHASTITY sight, the child
not having strength or health, and its
system being in such condition that its
wounds would not mend
The mother and father had sold soul
and body for drink. They were never
sober when they could get money to buy
drink. and practices of the most revolving
nature were made to yield money to sat>
isty their appetite for liquor
| Cooley is the man who threw old man
Case, the boat builder down stairs caus
ing the injuries from which he died. Case
| roomed with them and shared in their
carousals. While he was under the infiu-
ence of liquor Cooley became ncensed
| at him, and, being man of eighty years.
| Cooley handled him easily. pushing aim
| out and down the steps. The act was
seen by clerks in the rear end of Krause's
store. bat they did not tell the authorities
till long after. and nothing was done.
Cases thigh was broken. He was taken
to Mercy hospital, where he died.
| When taken to the station and put into
a cell, Cooley was defiant. He wanted to
| know why he was arrested, and threats
ened to make it hot" for those who ar
| rested him. Then he wanted bed cloth
ing and pillows, and food and drink
| His wife said some time ago that she
| would leave the city if she could get rid
Of him, but at first refused to CO. and
| afterward consented.
Last evening it was decided to take the
children to the poor house, and Officer
Wlchelman went TO the house to get
them. A lamp without a chimney was
burning on the table, and shed a dim
light on group on the floor. The moth
er was stupefied with liquor, and the
children were taken away without her
| knowledge. They were taken to a wo-
man who charitably removed the greasy,
dirty clothes which they wore, and put
upon them the garments of her own
children. Today they will be sent to the
poor house, and when The mother is 80
bered up enough to appreciate their ab
sence and know what is best for hel, she
will also be taken there.
Mrs, Cooley, which. however, is moi
her name. for she was never married tc
| Cooley, has been at one time woman of
education and some refinement Hel
father was farmer in comfortable cir
cumstances near Cambridge. Ill. In early
life she was a school teacher She mar
RED and Was widowed in a short time
Afterward she became infatuated kwitf
Cooley. and he led her astray. She re
fused to leave him, though her peopl.
have repeatedly importuned her to do so
and have offered to support her in plen'